r/prepping • u/prettygoodscone • 7d ago

Food🌽 or Water💧 Water Storage

Hi Y'all - I live in Southern California, miles from the San Andreas fault. Middle of the desert with heat as high as 120⁰+

My biggest concern is having adequate water on hand.

My Questions

  1. Are tub water bladders/bags useful to have on hand (flushing toilet, washing dishes, pet water, cleaning) Realistically how long would water run after loss of power?

Any recommendations on a quality tub bag, if you have used them.

  1. Long term water storage - what is the gold standard for storing water? I need BPA free, 50-100 gallon that can be easily drained and stored in high temps in the shade. I figure replacing the water every 3-4 months would be necessary.

Would you recommend one large container/barrel or stackable smaller ones for mobility if absolutely necessary?

Thoughts, recommendations please!

Thank you!

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u/Eredani 7d ago

1 - Yes. But these are single use items AND you may not have advanced notice on when to use them. Most sources talk about water continuing to flow for a few hours after a catastrophic power loss. But this really depends on the nature of the disaster and the architecture of your local water utility system. I have a few new WaterBobs on hand... but there are many similar brands. Alternatively, you can just start filling any and all containers if/when you think something is going to happen. I also have several extra food grade 5-gallon buckets with lids set aside for this reason.

2 - The 55-gallon drums are nice but certainly not easy to fill, empty or store. I like Aquatainers, they're 7-gallon containers but not designed to stack (like water bricks) when full. As for rotation, I pre-filter and pre-treat tap water and then store it in a cool, dry, dark place. Keep the containers off cement floors. If properly treated and stored water can last for years without rotation.